Coating machine



P. W. GUMAER COATING MACHINE Feb. 3, 125.

Filed May 27 9 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNV NTOR 2 ww 'k ATTORNEY Feb. 3, 1925.

P. w. GUMAER COATING MACHINE Filed May 27 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYP. W. GUMAER COATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 27 1924 INVENTORizfi M v ATTORNEY gamed Feb. 3, 19 5.

PERCY w. GUMAER; OF WEST ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

coA'rmc MACHINE.

Application filed-Hay 27, 1924. Serial No. 716,085.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, PERCY W. GUMAER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of West Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CoatingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

My nvention relates to machines for coating long lengths or stripsoffabric and it may be used in coating fabric with rubber solutions oritmay. be used in applying coatlugs to fabrics in the process of makingartificial leather; and in fact the invention is useful in variousprocesses wherevera coating is to be applied to a fabric. One object ofmy invention is to provide a machine wherein a number of separatecoatings may be applied to the same side of a strip of fabric insuccessive relation, and all in. one continuous operation; and in thefullest embodiment of my invention all of the several coatings may beapplied while the fabric is passing through'one common chamber. Oneobject of my invention is to provide. a machine for applying successivecoats to the fabric,

wherein the mechanism of the machine is arranged 1n compact relation andwherein there will be suflicient time for each coat to or chamber ofconsiderablesi ze to permit the coat on the fabric to be dried :beforethe fabric was wound into a roll; and for each successive coat thefabric had to be run through the machine.

process was slow. In the present machine I contemplate applying a numberof successive coats, to the fabric with the machine 00- cupying no morespace than the machines above referred to in general use and to applythe successive coats/to the fabric atone passage of the fabric throughthe machine.

The mechanism so arranged that the several coats may be successivelyapplied in a comparatively compact space andstill there is sufiicientlength of travel for the fabric between the several points of coating toperinit each coat to dry before a successive coat is applied, Anotherobject of my invention is to providelmean's for saving and recoveringThis required con-- 'siderable handling of the product and the a highpercentage of the solvents evapoapplyingseven successive coatings to afabric while being passed once through the machine and it willbeapparent that the ma chine may be arranged for applying a greater orlesser number of coatings. In fact,*& machine designed for a maximumapplication of seven coatings may be readily adapted for applying anylesser number of coatings as will be described hereinafter.

In the drawings forming part of this application,

Figure 1 ls a longitudinal sectional view of. a. machine embodying myinvention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine, Figure 4 is a sectional Viewtaken on the line H of Figure 1,

Figure 5' is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and IFigure 6 is an enlarged detail view. In the drawing I have shown asupport '1 in which a roll 2 of fabric is placed and from which thefabric is taken for passage through the machine. The fabric passes fromthis roll first over a roller 3 arranged at a high elevation at one endof the ma chine, and it passes-through a slot 4 into a preliminaryheating chamber 5 formed within the box 6. Within this box the fabricpasses in a tortuous path successively over the guide rollers 7 and.from these it passes out of the chamber 5 through a slot 8 into thecoating chamber. Within the preheating chamber I provide a series ofcoils of pipe 9 between the difl'erent runs of the.

fabric,'and steamis circulated through these pipes in order to heat thefabric preparatory to, the'application of the coatings. When the fabricleaves the heating chamber it passes under a guide roller 10. and overthe guide rod or roller 11 and there is a spreading knife or scraper 12arranged over the top surface of the fabric and pressing a ainst thelatter between the roller 10 an the ins ed surface of the fabricengaging against this roller; and the fabric returns from the roller 16toward the front of the machine forming a second or under run 17 lyingjust below the upper run 13. The roller body 16 is covered with cardingcloth having wire teeth 20 corresponding to the carding cloth used intextile machinery. Toward the front of the machine the fabric thenpasses around an idle roller 18. This carding cloth of the roller 16engages with the uncoated surface of the fabric and there is sufficienttraction to propel the fabric.-. After passing around the roller 18 thefabric again travels in a horizontal run 21 toward the rear of themachine and between the roller 18 and a supporting pin or rod 22 thefabric passes under a second coating knife or scraper 23. The

, 38 in the wall of the casing, thence between run 21 extends to therear of. the machine where the fabric passes around a second propellingroller 24 and it then travels forwardly to form the run 25 lyingparallel and just below the run 21. In the manner just de scribed, thefabric is carried successively in the same manner around the severalrollers 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and around the several propelling rollers 31,32, 33, 34, 35 and after passing the last propelling roller the fabrictravels around a guide roller 36 near the bottom of the machine andthence upwardly over a guide roller 37 and through a slot the outsideguide rollers 39 and it is wound into the form of a roll 40 on areceiving arbor in the holder 41. Between the adjacent horizontal runsof thefabricI place a metal plate 42 which serves as a support for theheating coils and across the upper surface of each of these tables Iarrange coils of pipes 43 through which steam may be passed to applyheat close to the adjacent horizontal runs of the fabric. The rollers18, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 are of suflicient diameter to space apart theseveral pairs of runs of fabric to provide space for the severalspreading or coating devices. It will be noted that from the time thefabric receives its first coating at the scraper or knife 17 the coatedsurface does not contact with any' art of the machine until it hastraveled twice the length of the drying chamber 14' and returns to theforward iding roller 18 and by the time the fabric as traveled thisdistance the solvent in the coating material will have been dried 'orset and it will have become sufiiciently set to receive the secondcoating which is applied at the knife or scraper 44. There is preferablya heating table"42 and there is a set of coils 43. placed between eachpair of longitudinal runs of the fabric, so that heat is applied fordrying each coating after it has been applied by the coating knife. andthe operations are the same for each successive coat of material appliedto the fabric.

The shafts of the several propelling rollers are carried throughsuitable bearings 45 in the shell of the machine and on the outer endsof these shafts and exterior of the casing I provide a gear 46 and theseseveral gears mesh with intermediate pinions 4T.arranged between theseveral gears 46, and these several gears and pinions form a chain ofgears all of which may be operated by means of a motor 48, shown inFigure 2. which has a gear 49 driving the lower- I form of liquid orpaste will discharge upon the top surface of the fabric in advance ofthe spreading knife, so that as the fabric travels under this knife thelatter will serve to spread the coating material upon the surface of thefabric in an even layer. There is a pipe 50 just in advance of each ofthe several coating knives and these" several pipes are connected withvertically arranged feed pipes 53 at opposite. sides of the machine,which vertical pipes are connected by the cross pipe 54 at the top towhich a supply of coating material is fed from the pipe 55 leading fromany source of supply.

The coating ,material' entering the pipe 55 feeds through the cross pipe54 into both vertical pipes 53 and from these it passes into the severalhorizontal discharge pipes 50 so that some of the material is discharged:by each ofthese horizontalpipes upon the top surface of the fabric inadvanceof a coating knife. In practice it is desirable to feed thecoating material to the fabric faster than it is consumed so that someof the material forces off the side edges of the fabric and passes intothe "discharge funnels 56 arranged at the sides of the fabric oppositethe several spreading knives. The material flowing into these funnelsdis: charges through t e vertically arranged pipes 57 which dischargeone into the other,

and the material is carried away from the densate may be withdrawnthrough the pipe 59. The casing is formed with an extenfirst spreadingknife 12, it receives on the heatin sion at one side of the coatingchamber 14 and within or adjacent this extension I provide a suitablecooling device which may consist of a coil of pipe 61 adaptedto receivea flow of coolmg water through the connection 64 and preferably thiscooling coil is extended horizontally across the bottom of'the casing asshown at 63 and the cooling liquid is discharged through the upperconnection 62. I have arranged a series of inclined. bafile plates 65 atthe side of the evaporated chamber for deflecting the vapors as theypass from the evaporating chamber into the cooling or condensing chamber66 and also in order to prevent the direct radiation of heat from theheating coils 43 toward the cooling coils 61. When the machine is inoperation there will be a continuous flow of coolin liquid, such aswater, from any source 0 supply. through the cooling coils 61. r v

The machine having been started by the threading of the fabric aroundthe various rollers described above, the fabric will be propelled atdifferent points by means of the power appliedto the several propellingrollers 16, 24 etc. As the fabric passes the top surface the first coatof material and the fabric then travelsalong over the first table 42 andthe first set of heating 0011s 43; thence around the first propellingroller 16 and back again directly under the first heating table, duringwhich time the first coat applied to the fabric is dried and set by theevaporation of -the solvents in the coating material. The fabric thenpasses around-the firstguide roller 18 and then under the second coatingknife 12 where it receives a second coating applied directly over thefirst coating. This opera- 1 tion progresses until the fabric hasreceived as many coatings as there are spreading devices, after whichthefabric passes out of the coating chamber and is wound into the roll 40.I

The cooling action of the coil. 61 causes the vapors which pass from theevaporating chamber 14 between the bafile plates 65 to be cooled andcondensed as rapidly as the vapors are evolved la the action of theheating coils 43 upon 6 1n the coatings and the condensed vaporssolvents contained in the form of-liquid falls into the sump 58 atlthebottom of the tank and it may be continuously or periodically removedthrough the pipe 59. v

It will be apparent from the above that I have provided a coatingmachine in which a number of coats may be applied successivelyto a stripof fabric in a chamber of comparatively slnall dimensions compared withthe number of separate chambers heretofore used in applying the samenumber of coatings to fabrics. It will also be apparent that the variouscoats are all' applied while the fabric is moving once through themachine, thereby reducing the multiple coating to the simplestoperation. Several elements in the present machine make it p-ossible toapply the successive coats in the same vaporizing chamber and to keepthis chamber down to relatively small dimensions. One of these isthefact that the coated surface of the fabric has a relatively. u longtravel between each coating operation,

the travel being approximately twice the length of ,the evaporatingchamber. Another is the arrangement of the fabric in" a plurality ofclosely related horizontal runs, and another is the fact that the vaporsare cohdensed through the cooling system as rapidly as they are evolvedby the heating of the coating material.

If it is desired to apply only six coats to the fabric, in a. machinewhich is designed, as 7 shown, for applying a maximum of seven chamberwhereby'the fabric travels back and forth in a plurality of adjacent,sub stantially parallel runs, and means between said adjacent runs offabric for heating the same.

coatings, then the fabric will notbe threaded t and propelling a. stripof fabric in said 2. A coatingmachine including acasing forming anevaporating chamber, a plurality of means in said chamber for sucrcessively applying coating material to a strip of fabric, means forguiding and propelling a strip of fabric in said chamber wherebythefabric travels back and forth in a plurality of horizontal, adjacentand substantially parallel runs following each of sa-id'coating means,and means between said adjacent HIS of fabric for heating the same afterit ames from each of said coating means.

3. A coating machine comprising a casing forming an evaporating chamber,means in said chamber for applying coating material to a strip offabric, means for guiding and propelling a strip ofifabric in saidchamber whereby the fabric travels back and forth in a plurality ofhorizontal, ad-

jacent and substantially parallel runs, and heating coils arrangedbetween said runs of the fabric.

4. A coating machine comprising a casing forming an evaporating,chamber, a

plurality of means adjacent one 'end of said chamber for successivelyapplying coatings to the same side of a strip of fabric, and

, means for propelling the fabric in the said 'jacent runs of the fabricfor heating the chamber whereby it is caused to travel back and forth ina plurality of adjacent, substantially parallel runs, andincluding aroller arranged near the opposite end of said chamber to the spreadingdevice and engaging with the uncoated surface pf the fabric, and meansarranged between the said adjacent runs of the fabric for heating thefabric. j

6. A coating machine comprising a cas ing forming an evaporatingchamber, a plurality of means adjacent one end of said chamber for,successively applying coatings to the same side of a strip of fabric,means for guiding and propelling a strip of fabric in said chamber 7back. and forth in a plurality of adjacent, substantially parallel runs,including a rollor near the opposite end of said chamber to .theapplying means and engaging the uncoated surface of the fabric, andaroller forward of and intermediate the coating means and engaging theuncoated surface of the fabric, and means between the adlatter. j

7. A ooa-ting'ma-chine comprising a casing forming an evaporatingchamber, a plurality of means adjacent one end of said chamber forsuccessively applying coatings to the same side of a strinof fabric,means for guiding and pro llin a stri offabric in said chamber wh febyihe falii'ictravels back and forth in a plurality of adjacent,

substantially parallel runs, including a roll- .er of compressiblematerial near the opposite end of said chamber to the. applying meansand e the uncoated surface of the whereby the fabric travels fabric, anda roller forward of and intermediate the coating means and engaging thecoated surface of the fabric, andmeans beq tween the .adj'acent runs ofthe fabric for heating the latter.

8. A coating machine including a casing forming a preheating chamber,means for guiding a strip of fabric in a tortuous path through saidpreheating chamber, means for heating the fabric in said chamber, acasing forming an evaporating chamber for receiv: ing the strip offabric from said preheating chamber, means for applying successivecoatings to the fabric while traveling in said evaporizing chamber,means for guiding the fabric in a plurality of adjacent, substantiallyparallel runs between the coating means, and means between said adjacentruns of the fabric for heating the latter in said evaporizing chamber.

9. A coating machine including a casing forming an evaporating chamber,a plurality of coating means in said chamber ad-' jacent one endthereof, means for guiding and propelling the fabric in a plurality oradjacent, substantially horizontal runs "between the coating means,means between the adjacentruns of the fabric for heating the latter, andmeans for guiding the fabric as it passes from the lowermost guidingmeans to cause it to pass upwardly and outof the upper portion of saidcasing. p

10. A coating machine including a casing forming an'evaporating chamber,a plurality of means adjacent one end of said chamber for successivelyapplying coatings to the same side of a strip of fabric, means forguiding and propelling a strip of fabric in said chamber whereby thefabric travels back and forth in a plurality of adjacent substantiallyparallel runs, including a roller near the opposite end of said chamberto the applying means, and engaging the uncoated surface of the fabricand a roller of larger diameter than said first roller, said latter,roller being arranged forward of and intermediate the coating means andengaging the coated surface of the fabric, and means between theadjacent runs of the fabric for heating the latter.

11. A coating machine comprising a casing forming an evaporatingchamber, means for applying a coating to a strip of fabric, means forguiding'a strip of fabric in said evaporating chamber whereby the fabrictravels back and forth in a lurality of adjacent, substantially paral e1runs after leaving the coating means, means between the adjacent runs ofthe fabricfor heating the latter, andmeans for condensing thevaporsevolved from the coating material by the heating operation.

12. A coating machine comprising :1 casin forming an evaporatingchamber, a plur 'ty of means in said chamber for simulfabric insuccessive order, means for guiding and propelling a strip of fabric insaid chamber whereby it is caused to. travel back and forth in aplurality of adjacent, substantially parallel runs following eachcoating device, means between the adjacent runs of the fabric forheating the latter and means for condensing the vapors evolved from thecoating material by theheating operation.

J 13. A coatmg machine comprising a cas-' ing forming an evaporatingchamber, a plurality of means in said chamber for simultaneouslyapplying coatings to a strip of fabric in successive order, means forguiding and propelling a strip of fabric in said chamber whereby it iscaused to travel back .and forth in a plurality of adjacent,substantially parallel runs following each coating device, means betweenthe adjacent runs of the fabric for heating the latter and means commonto all of the said heating means for condensing the vapors evolved fromthe coatings.

14. A coating machine comprising a casing forming an evaporatingchamber, means in said chamber for applying coating material to a stripof'fabric,'mea'ns for propelling and guiding a strip of fabric in saidchamber whereby itis caused to travel back and forth in a plurality ofadjacent, substantially parallel runs, heating means between theadjacent runs of the fabric for heating the latter, said casing havingan extension at the side of said heating means to form a condensingchamber, and means in said condensing chamber for condensing the vaporsevolved from the fabric coating.

15. A coating machine comprising a easing forming an evaporatingchamber, a plurality of means in said chamber for successively applyingcoatings to a. strip of fabric, means for guiding and propelling a stripof fabric whereby it is 'c'aused to travel-back and forth in adjacent,substantially parallel runs following each coating means, means betweenthe adjacent runs of fabric for heating the latter, said casing havingan extension forming a condensing chamber at the side of the severalheating means and cooling means in sa d condensing chamber forcondensing the vapors evolved in said evaporating chamber.

16. Aboatingmachine comprising .a casing forming" an evaporatingchamber, a plurality of means in said chamber for successively applyingcoatings to a strip of fabric, means for guiding and propelling a stripof fabric whereby it is caused to travel back ,and forth in adjacent,substantially parallel runs following each coating means,

means-between the adjacent runs of fabric for heating the latter, saidcasing having an extension forming a condensing chamber at the-side ofthe several heating means and cooling means arranged in said condensingchamber at the side of said heating'means and at the bottom of saidevaporating chamber, for condensing the-vapors evolved in saidevaporatingchamber.

17. Acoating machine comprising a casing forming an evaporating chamber,fabric coating means, means in said evaporating chamber for heating thecoated fabric, cooling means at the side of said heating means forcondensing the Vapors evolved in the evaporating chamber, and bafliesinterposed between the said heating means and the said cooling means forpreventing direct radiation betweensaid heating and said cooling means.

18. Acoating machine comprising a casing forming an evaporating chamber,and

to travel back and forth in a plurality of adjacent, substantiallyparallel runs after each coating means, means between the ad-l jaeentruns of fabric for heating the latter,

cooling means in said condensing chamber at the side of said evaporatingchamber,

and inclined baflle plates arrangedbetween

